July and August are the peak season for forest fires here, which are usually caused by charcoal producers and illegal loggers. The particular abundance of dry biomass acts as fuel. To tackle this, WeForest Malawi set out to arm 225 community members with skills in forest fire management. Attendees came from the project’s original co-management blocks, Kazembe and Tchete, as well as from this year's new ones, Nyambalo and Bwanaisa. The training featured practical sessions on how to suppress fires using tools such as beaters, hoes, slashers and water carriers.
The communities then constructed firebreaks within their co-management blocks – 49.32km in Mulanje and 38.7 km in Phalombe – to safeguard their forests from the devastating impact of uncontrolled fires.